Lab Report Format

General Information:
12 pt Arial font
Double-spaced
Always write in third person
Write in full sentences except for materials list and in tables
Important Reminders:
Check spelling
Use significant figures
Avoid personal pronouns
Headings need to stand out
Do not copy verbatim (word for word) from laboratory instructions
Title Page Heading, Name, Name of Partners, Class Name, Teacher Name, Date of
Lab Report
Introduction - This section should be written in complete sentences and should
connect lab concepts to class content. The introduction should provide background
information on the history of the concepts tested, scientists, theories, and any laws
tested in the experiment. Cite sources used. The introduction should contain any prior
knowledge on which the experiment is based including an explanation of principles,
definitions, experimental techniques, theories and laws.
Objective - The objective is a concise statement in complete sentences
outlining the purpose of the experiment. The purpose section of a lab is where you tell
the reader your reason for doing the lab in the first place and briefly summarize any
relevant background information about the experiment, including any relevant chemical
equations and/or algebraic equations.
Hypothesis - Possible if____ then_____ statement. Define any variables such as
manipulated, measured, controlled and the cause and effect predicted. The hypothesis
is a one-line sentence where you discuss how youll solve the problem at hand. The
statement after if is the independent variable. The independent variable is whatever
you will do to solve the problem. The statement after then is the dependent variable,
because what happens will depend on what you did in the first place. Generally, the
dependent variable will be the problem you mentioned in the purpose.

Mrs. Pilipchuks class

Materials - (Bulleted List) The materials section is a list of all equipment, reagents
(chemicals), and computer programs that were used to complete the experiment.
Drawings of the apparatus setup should be included in this section if needed. The
materials list must be complete. Indicate how much of each material will be used in the
experiment.
If you plan on arranging some of the equipment into a more complex setup (for
example, if you are going to heat something over a Bunsen burner, you will need a ring
stand, wire gauze, etc.), draw it as well as mention the equipment used.
Procedure - This section may be written in numbered steps. Explain the test design,
and allow for pictures and diagrams. The procedure is a detailed statement (step by
step) of how the experiment was performed such that the experiment could be repeated
using your report. Safety precautions that were followed should be stated in this section.
The procedure must be written in the impersonal (3rd person) past tense:
e.g. We are taking the temperature every 2 minutes. NO
The temperature was taken every 2 minutes. YES
Data/Observations - This is a collection of observations, measurements,
multiple trials, data tables, charts, and repeating steps. This section may consist of
quantitative and/or qualitative observations of the experiment. A qualitative piece of data
is a written description and/or sketch of what was seen during the experiment.
Quantitative information may be in the form of a table or simply a written description.
When graphs are required, special attention should be paid to the following items: the
type of graph expected (straight line or curve), utilizing the entire graph paper, plotted
point size, title of the graph, and axis labels. When numerous measurements have
occurred, data is to be placed in a data table whenever possible. Figure headings are
placed below the figure and should give a short description of the figure. Table headings
are found above the table and should also have a brief description.
Analysis/Calculations - Graphs, Error Calculations, Equations, Statistical Analysis One example of each type of calculation should be included. Results from numerous
calculations should be placed in a data table with the proper number of significant
figures and correct units. % yield and % error calculations should be included when
possible.
Conclusions - The conclusion is a concise statement that answers the objective. The
result of percent error and/or percent yield should be discussed and compared with
known results. A portion of the conclusion should be dedicated to error analysis which
discusses any possible sources of error that may have contributed to the percent error
or yield. The conclusion should be written in the impersonal past tense. How to change
the experiment for improved results. What did you learn? Explain what the results are
Mrs. Pilipchuks class

telling you, Accept/Reject Hypothesis, Answer any Questions posed by the lab or
teacher. A one-line sentence that supports the hypothesis or states that the hypothesis
is incorrect. For example, if you proved the hypothesis that If I poke myself in the eye,
then my eye will hurt, this first sentence would be When I poked myself in the eye, it
hurt. If the hypothesis didnt work, an explanation of what possibly went wrong. These
should be specific suggestions (I should have heated the mixture to 550 C), not general
suggestions (I should have heated it more). List at least two possible errors in the lab,
as well as ways to prevent those errors in the future. The errors you mention should be
errors that you can do something about, not mystical errors that probably did not occur.
References - (APA Format) Any information borrowed from another source, which is
not common knowledge must be cited within the text of the report as outlined in the
APA Format Guide on Owl Purdue website. All sources of information are to be listed in
the References section of the lab report in alphabetical order.
Additional Notes:
Reports will be graded largely on their ability to clearly communicate results and
important conclusions to the reader. You must, of course, use proper English and
spelling, along with comprehensible logic and appropriate style. You should proofread
your report as well as spell-check it.
Neatness and organization will also influence the grade a report receives. Be
sure to follow explicitly the format indicated above. Type reports, and attach lab
notes as appendices.
Avoid being overly verbose and flowery when attempting to convey your point
be concise.
Avoid qualitative phrases such as "the results were quite close" or "heat fluxes
were in good agreement with the correlation." Be as quantitative as possible.
Do not copy material without citing the source. This includes lab manuals, text
books, your neighbor, old labs, etc. Plagiarism, of any degree, will not be
accepted.

Mrs. Pilipchuks class

Example of a Lab Report

The Law of Conservation of Matter

Jane Doe
Lab Partner: John Smith

Chemistry 20
Mrs. Pilipchuk

August 14, 2015

Mrs. Pilipchuks class

Introduction:
The classic baking soda-vinegar volcano is a well-known exothermic chemical reaction
as outlined below:
NaHCO3(s) + CH3COOH(l) CO2(g) + H2O(l) + Na+(aq) + CH3COO-(aq)
From our Chemistry 20 class, we have learned that if the quantity of reactants is
increased then the volume of the products should be affected.

Objective:
To determine the effect of various volumes of reactants on the volume of products
produced in an exothermic reaction.

Hypothesis:
If the volume of reactants is increased, then the volume of products will increase due to
law of conservation of matter (Smith & Porter, 2015).

Materials:
5% Acetic acid (CH3COOH)
Baking soda (NaHCO3)
1000 mL graduated cylinder
100 mL graduated cylinder
Weigh boat
Stirring rod
Scale
Procedure:
1. A pre-zeroed weigh boat was used to measure 20 g of baking soda.
2. The baking soda was placed into the 1000 mL graduated cylinder, using the
stirring rod to ensure none of the baking soda remained on the weigh boat.

Mrs. Pilipchuks class

3. A graduated cylinder (100 mL) was used to measure the appropriate volumes of
acetic acid for each trial.
4. The acetic acid was poured into the 1000 mL graduated cylinder and the volume
of the solution was recorded for each trial.
5. The 1000 mL graduated cylinder was rinsed with tap water between trials.

Observations:
Table 1. Observations recorded during experimental procedure.
Observation Number

Details of Observation

Product increased substantially in volume immediately

after mixing the reactants.

Volume of product reached highest volume and then

slowly decreased in volume in an oscillating pattern.

Not all of the reactants fully reacted.

Results:
Table 2. Volume of products produced when 20 g of baking soda (NaHCO3) were
reacted with various predetermined volumes of acetic acid (CH 3COOH).
Volume of CH3COOH (mL)

Maximum Volume of Products (mL)

50

350

75

450

100

525

Mrs. Pilipchuks class

Analysis:

Figure 1. Relationship between volume of acetic acid (CH3COOH) reactant and volume
of products produced when the other reactant, baking soda (NaHCO3), remains
constant at 20 g. The trend that is clearly present through the graphical analysis is that
as the volume of the acetic acid reactant increases, the maximum volume of the
products increases as well.

Conclusions:
The results indicate that the volume of products increased when the volume of reactants
increased (as shown in Fig. 1; Schwantje, 2007). This supported the hypothesis that
the volume of products would increase when the amount of reactants would increase.
The fact that the volume of products increased suggests the law of conservation of
matter, which states that mass is neither created nor destroyed, is upheld.

Two potential sources of error that were determined during the reaction were baking
soda sticking to the weigh boat and flushing the 1000 mL graduated cylinder between

Mrs. Pilipchuks class

reactions. If baking soda stuck to the weigh boat, not all of the 20 g of baking soda
would be added to the reaction vessel. One way this error could be overcome would be
to rinse the weigh boat with acetic acid or water to remove all of the baking soda.
Rinsing the graduated cylinder between reactions introduced water as a reactant, which
would dilute the acetic acid and reduce the volume of products produced. The
graduated cylinder should be rinsed with water, followed by a quick rinse with acetic
acid to ensure that the reactants are not diluted prior to the reaction.

In the future, more trials, using a larger mass of baking soda or continuing the trials with
acetic acid in volumes of 125 mL, 150 mL, etc. would be necessary to determine a
complete reaction curve noting the volume/mass at which each reactant become the
limiting reagent. This further research has been based on the observations that the
volume of products is was a direct relationship for the first two trials, but by the third
trial, the relationship had changed, leading us to suspect that the baking soda was
becoming the limiting reagent.

References:
Schwantje, G. (2007). Various effects and their outcomes on scientific reactions.
Journal of High School Science, 33:15-19.

Smith, J.A. & Porter, L. (2015). Science 101. Edmonton, AB: Anchor.

Mrs. Pilipchuks class